Bhuvneshwar vs Rabada: Bowling Giants Set for IPL 2026 Qualifier 1 Showdown
The Qualifier one Indian Premier League (IPL) clash between defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Gujarat Titans (GT) will witness a battle between Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Kagiso Rabada, two of the most dominant forces with the ball during yet another record-breaking run-filled season.
Both Bhuvneshwar and Rabada are joint-highest wicket-takers this season with 24 each, with the Indian having a better average of 18.50 as compared to Rabada's 20.54.
Bhuvneshwar also topples Rabada in both economy rates (8.07 as compared to Rabada's 9.18) and best bowling figures (4/23 as compared to Rabada's 3/25).
As per ESPNCricinfo, it is Bhuvneshwar who has been much more complete, bowling 16 overs in death overs as well as compared to just six by Rabada, who is more of a new ball bowler this season, getting three overs in a phase where bowlers bleed runs.
17 of Rabada's 24 wickets have come in the powerplay, while Bhuvneshwar has 15.
Both of them have some match-ups they can enjoy. Rabada has dismissed Virat Kohli five times in 16 meetings, conceding runs at a strike rate of 140.5 against the Indian superstar. Virat has hit 13 fours and three sixes against Rabada in this healthy match-up.
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Can Bhuvneshwar Kumar dismantle GT’s top order in IPL Qualifier 1?
Bhuvneshwar, on the other hand, will be aiming to make a quick meal out of GT's top-three of skipper Shubman Gill, Sai Sudharsan and Jos Buttler, who are the spine of the Titans' batting lineup, having scored 70 per cent of their runs this season.
Gill has scored just 80 runs against Bhuvneshwar, getting dismissed five times out of 13 outings.
The GT skipper averages just 16 against the 'Swing King' and his strike rate goes down to 106.7. Gill has scored just eight fours and two sixes in 75 balls against Bhuvneshwar, taking 7.5 balls per boundary shot.
Buttler has fallen nine times to Bhuvneshwar in 20 outings, averaging just 13.11 with a strike rate of just above 109. Buttler goes into his shell against the Indian, having made 118 runs in 104 balls (with 14 fours and two sixes), averaging 6.5 balls per boundary shot.
Sudharsan has fared way better, scoring 51 runs against Bhuvneshwar in six innings and being dismissed just once, but he strikes at a modest 121.52 against him. He has used eight fours against Bhuvneshwar in 42 balls, taking 5.2 balls per boundary shot.
As per ESPNCricinfo, GT and RCB are two of the best powerplay bowling line-ups this season, with Titans having taken 30 wickets in that phase at an average of 24.53, and an economy rate of 8.76.
RCB is close second with 28 wickets at 28.50 and 9.50, respectively.
(With inputs from ANI)